


When Angels Sleep

by LeosVIXXen



Category: K-pop, VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Angels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Demon/Human Relationships, Demons, Domestic Violence, F/M, Fallen Angels, Minor Character Death, Nephilim, Religious Content, Religious Imagery & Symbolism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-07-23 04:42:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20002486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeosVIXXen/pseuds/LeosVIXXen
Summary: Avery Brown had a somewhat normal life in her sleepy Louisiana town, but all of that began to crumble when a mysterious stranger arrives in town. One demon makes her question everything she thought she knew about Angels, and everything she thought she knew about herself.updates every Saturday!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Names have been changed, but the character of Ira is based on Kim Wonshik. The character of Zadkiel is based on Cha Hakyeon.  
> All other characters are OCs. Loosely based on Hyde (VIXX).

“I love you,” she yelled, but he heard the words as if they were a whisper. The wind whipped around her, tangling her long, black hair around her face. The rain was being driven into her eyes, partially blinding her. She knelt on the muddy ground; her hands tangled in the coat of a tall, dark eyed man. He was staring down at her, conflicted emotions playing across his face. One moment, she was met with fury, and the next she saw compassion in his eyes.

“You shouldn’t,” he said. “You really shouldn’t.” Dark wings erupted from his back, ripping the coat she was holding on to. He lifted his face to the sky in a silent scream before pulling his coat from her hands. He turned and ran, leaving her stumbling after him. Before long he had taken to the skies, soaring higher, higher until he was almost out of sight. She fell to the ground, sobbing.

If only her father hadn’t gotten the church involved. If only he had never found out about her sneaking out. If only he had not found out what he was. Her world was filled with “if only”.

***

She was the daughter of the pastor of their small Louisiana town, and was expected to behave as such. She was aware of every step she took, and calculated every word to leave her mouth. Her hemlines were a measured four inches below her knees, and her necklines no lower than an inch below her collarbones. Every single aspect of her life was tied to being a “good example”.

She did her best for many years. She became a great liar if nothing else. She had mastered the art of a southern smile and knew the magic of a good, cold glass of homemade sweet tea. When she wanted to get away, she knew to find a good alibi, and it had never failed her until now.

Her lies never failed her until that one new boy came strolling into town.

She had been working in the small diner that her mother ran when he had walked through those doors, all black leather and a torn shirt. He was quite the contrast from the delicate pinks and yellows her mother had used to decorate the shop. He stared around the room for a while before taking a seat in the corner.

Lillian, the other girl whom her mother had hired to wait tables at the business, stood frozen behind the counter. Avery steeled her nerves and walked up to the stranger with a smile. His white blond hair fell unevenly over his face as he slumped in his chair, looking over the menu. When he looked up at her, Avery shivered.

His eyes were sharp, and such a deep brown that they were nearly black. He seemed to be looking into her very soul, and for a moment all that she could do was stare into them. Finally, she shook her head and pasted on her best church smile. Damn, between that expression and her blue gingham dress, she could have been on the cover of an old edition of _Southern Living_.

“What can I get for you this fine day?” she asked, her notepad in one hand and her pencil at the ready to write up his order.

“Got any beef?” he asked, holding a steady gaze.

“We’ve, uh, we’ve got beef stew today,” she answered, uncomfortable under his scrutiny and penetrating gaze.

“Good enough,” he said. “And what kind of beer do you have back there?”

“Oh! Uh, it’s a dry county,” she explained, shifting uncomfortably. “We have sweet tea, lemonade, all kinds of coke...”

“A water’ll be fine,” he laid the menu back down and turned to stare out the window.

Avery laid in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, wondering why this misfit man was still lingering in her mind. He was unlike anyone she had ever met before. What she didn’t know was that he was thinking about her too, as he stood in the shadows of the tree line, watching her through the open window.

***

Ira couldn’t stop watching this girl. He hadn’t really meant to follow her home, and he knew that he was crossing a line. He rationalized his actions by saying that he was going to have to kill her anyway, so why go out of his way to be a perfect gentleman until then. She was pretty. Not in that wholesome, small town, girl-next-door way that was so favored in these parts, though. There was something lurking in her eyes that showed that she was putting on a front and checking boxes on a to do list rather than really believing all that she acted like she did. He was intrigued by that, and a little worried too.

She reminded him of himself, many years ago. He, too, had tried to keep his appearances up, but he had failed. He had been told that he had failed because he loved the creation more than the creator. He could not understand the brutality of God. If he was truly all knowing, why would he have set all of humanity up to fail, not once, but time and time again? He had snapped one day too, and he knew that Avery’s day was coming.

He was still staring at her through her open window when her door was thrown open. Pastor Brown had stormed in the room and struck her hard enough to knock her to the floor. Anger boiled inside of him, even though he had no reason for it to do so. Even with all the changes in his life over the years, one thing remained the same: he hated injustice with a fiery passion that burned hotter than any flame in hell.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now for the next installment of When Angels Sleep!  
> Huge thank you to everyone who reads this, gives it kudos, comments, or reblogs it on tumblr!

It was a Friday, and it was Avery’s day off. She had packed a backpack, saying that she would be going to her friend Annabeth’s house for the night. In reality, she was headed to the lake on the outskirts of town. When she got there, she stripped down, changing into the pair of tight jeans that she had bought from the goodwill in the next town over. She also put on a black tee shirt. It wasn’t exactly what she wanted, but it was better than nothing.

She heard the honk of a car’s horn and ran up the hill to Mason’s pickup truck. Missy and Charlotte sat with him in the cab, and a handful of teens and young adults from the other side of town were already perched in the bed. She vaulted herself up by stepping on the tire and swinging her leg over the side. If her father ever found out where she was and what she was doing, she would be in for the whipping of her life, never mind that she was twenty-two.

Her father had been busy trying to set her up with upstanding young men whose fathers he knew, but the last thing Avery wanted right then was to settle down with a stuffy lawyer or preacher and have baby after baby for his glory. Maybe someday she would settle down, but that day would be a long way off.

Now she was heading to the old Wilson’s homeplace. The parents were out and Jesse Wilson had managed to get his hands on a couple of kegs. Avery didn’t really drink, but she loved to dance, and that was something there was plenty of at Wilson parties. If only her father wasn’t so strict on her, and would stop holding her to her older sister’s standard. He had one perfect daughter, why did he insist on both of them being flawless? If her father would have allowed her to dance at home and listen to something other than the country-gospel station on the radio, maybe she wouldn’t have felt the need to run off.

Avery left off her brooding when the truck bounced up the long gravel drive. She jumped out as soon as Mason threw the truck into park. She danced and played for most of the night, until the wee hours of the morning when the parties usually disbanded. Mason dropped her off at the far edge of the woods that bordered her house, as he always did. The last thing she needed would be for her mother to see his headlights dropping her off at home. Besides, the two-mile walk would be long enough to clear her head. She would also pass the old Berry pond, where she would rinse out her clothes and wash her hair to rid it of the smell of smoke and alcohol.

She was shoulder deep in the pond when she heard a twig snap on the opposite bank. Her eyes locked onto something shifting in the shadows. At first, she thought it was a deer, but then she noticed that the shape was far too tall to be a deer. It was a man. In that moment she wished that she had stayed home. She was naked in a pond, being watched by an unknown figure, at three o’clock in the morning. She swam back toward the water’s edge, making sure to stay submerged as best as she could. Just then the figure stepped out of the shadows. It was the man from the café. He pushed a hand through his hair, grinning at her as he approached.

“Hey there, darlin’,” he drawled. “Nice night for a little swim, don’t’cha think?” He pulled his ripped shirt over his head. Avery was nervous, but captivated by his eyes.

“What’s a fine lil’ preacher’s daughter doing out on a night like this?” He sat down on a rock at the water’s edge, between her and her backpack. She sank farther down in the water.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, praying her voice was steady and strong to mask her rising fear. He smirked at her, tilting his head as he stretched back on the rock. He wasn’t planning to leave any time soon.

“Oh, just figured I would find out where this town’s angel was sneaking off to,” he said.

“I’m _not_ the angel,” Avery snapped.

“Hmm, good for me that you don’t think you are.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked, her heart rate climbing.

“Oh nothing,” he said, a smile spreading on his face. He reached behind him and retrieved a towel, which he held out to her. “Would this help?”

Avery stared at him, unsure of how to proceed. He stood up and unfolded the towel, looking away. He had effectively given her a wall to hide behind. She took her chance and scrambled up the bank, grabbing the towel from him and wrapping it around her body. She caught his smile from the corner of her eye and she ran to her backpack to retrieve her dress.

He was still turned away from her when she finished dressing. She knew she should run away from him, but she was intrigued by him. Maybe she wasn’t as fearful as she should have been. She walked up behind him and stretched out her hand, but he turned toward her before she could touch him. She jerked her hand away as if he was on fire.

“Yes?” he queried, a smile on his face. Oh, if only she wasn’t inexplicably attracted to danger. She bit her lip but didn’t back away. Instead, she extended the towel.

“Here,” she said. “Thanks for letting me borrow it.”

“Anything for a good southern lady,” he said, taking it from her.

“Oh yes, because being caught like this makes me such a good lady,” she muttered.

“It makes you my kind of lady,” he said, smirking. “I hope I get to see you around.”

“Well, you know where I work,” she said.

“Yeah, well I was hoping to meet you somewhere your momma isn’t hanging over your shoulder.”

“Tell you what,” she said. “I’m off on Tuesday.”

“Meet me back here?” he asked, eyes darkening.

“Yeah, I’ll be here,” she said, choosing to ignore the voice in her head that told her this was a bad idea.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the delay posting this chapter. I was out of town and away from the internet for a few days. I hope that you enjoy the next part of the story.

Ira was sitting on a rock and staring up at the sky when he heard Avery enter the clearing behind him. His smiled, enjoying the feeling of her energy. This was the first time that he had taken this long on a mission. His leader had warned him that it could be very difficult, as Nephilim were volatile beings. Clearly, she didn’t even know the truth of her parentage. My, my, her mother was a preacher’s wife and she had hidden her affair all these years.

Had they known anything about genetics they would have known that Avery had a different father than her siblings. Both the pastor and his wife were blond, and Avery’s older sister and two younger brothers were as well. Then there was Avery, a striking beauty with icy blue eyes and raven hair. He was glad he had been the first to track her down.

“Hello, Avery,” he said, without turning. She paused before continuing her walk to stand at his side. He gestured to a place on the rock behind him. “Please, sit.”

“How did you know my name?” she asked, taking the seat he offered. She tried not to think about how close they were sitting.

“Oh, I heard it in the diner last week,” he lied, flashing her that perfect smile. “Care for a swim?”

“I didn’t bring my suit,” she said.

“Didn’t stop you last time.” Avery blushed at his implications, but there was nothing that she could say to deny it. He turned to face her more directly, studying her. She squirmed under his scrutiny, but didn’t move away.

“What are you looking at?” she asked, having been made insecure by his careful gaze.

“You,” he answered. She blushed and turned away.

“There’s all this nature here to look at, and you choose to look at me,” she said, scoffing. He chuckled to himself, pushing a hand through his hair. Avery picked up a stick and started drawing in the sand at their feet. She drew a bird, then crossed her drawing with lines, placing it in a cage. She stared at it for a while before sighing and tossing the stick away.

“A caged bird, huh?” said Ira. “You just couldn’t leave it free.”

“It’s not realistic,” she answered, smiling. “A little bird like that is gotta be caged up by something.”

“A little bird like you?” Avery stiffened slightly, her hand coming to rest on her cheek before she dropped her hand back to her lap.

“Your dad seems like he would be the kind to enjoy capturing things to cage them up,” he said, stretching, and placing his arm around her shoulders.

“My dad,” she scoffed. “Expects everything to do exactly what he wants it to, whether he shares those wants or not.”

“He hits you.” It wasn’t a question, even if he might have intended for it to have been. She stared at him for a minute before answering.

“He does whatever the hell he wants.”

“Why do you let him?” he asked. She felt as if his eyes were boring into her very soul.

“Yeah, like I have a choice in it,” she scoffed.

“You have no idea how powerful you are,” he said, his fingertips brushing hers.

“What?” she laughed. “I’m far from powerful.” _Perfect_. His superior had promised his freedom if he could kill her. He had also promised that if he came back empty handed, it would be the end of him. He had a lot riding on this.

“Well you certainly have power over me,” he said, leaning closer. She blushed, biting her lip.

“Ah, now,” he whispered, leaning in. “Let me do that.” He kissed her softly, but moments after their lips touched, Avery jumped back as if stuck by lightening. Her hand slowly moved to touch her mouth. He laughed softly.

“Sorry if that was too much,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re just not like anyone else I have ever met.” Her head was still spinning from the brief kiss. It was unlike anything she had felt before.

“I…” she hesitated. “No, it was just – unexpected is all.”

“Good to know I’m not too much for you,” he said, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her closer. “What would your father say if he could see us right now?”

“He wouldn’t let me leave the house again,” she whispered, blushing.

“No, no,” he said, his grip tightening. “Not Pastor Brown. Your real father.”

“What?” she felt her blood run cold.

“Oh, come on,” he said. “You’re a smart girl. Blond is a recessive gene. Two blond people can only have blond babies. But you, oh darling, you had a different father than your perfect siblings.” She tried to stand up, but her legs wouldn’t cooperate. It was as if she was frozen to that rock, in the arms of the man whose name she didn’t even know.

“Wh-who are you?” she asked, panic rising in her throat.

“I have been known as many things over the years,” he said, rising to stand before her. “In your father’s Bible I am known as Belial. Here, I go by Ira.”

“But you’re a demon!” she screamed, standing and scrambling to regain her footing.

“Oh, now,” he said, twirling a twig in his fingers. “I am a fallen angel, that much is true. Calling me a demon feels a little harsh.”

“Are you going to kill me?” she asked, her eyes wide. He stepped closer to her, his hand caressing her cheek. She knew it shouldn’t have, but his touch calmed her.

“No, my dear,” he said. “Had I wanted to kill you I would have done it long before now. But I see that you don’t believe me. Perhaps you should ask your mother about a man named Anael.”

“Anael?” she asked. “Who is that?”

“You will know when you ask her,” he said, leaning closer. His lips brushed her cheek gently before he turned and walked away into the woods.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting once again! Classes are starting back up for me, and that was causing a couple of problems with scheduling.  
> I hope that you like this chapter though! Feedback is always appreciated. Thank you for reading.

Avery had gone through the motions of her week, going to work as she was required to. Her mind had not been quiet since her conversation with Ira – Belial – whoever he was. She was torn between rejecting everything he had said and believing him wholeheartedly. She knew based on what her parents had taught her that she should never trust a demon. Ira hadn’t called himself a demon though. Her father would say that a demon and a fallen angel were one in the same. He didn’t seem like the demons in the stories she referred to as “Christian creepypasta”.  
She had sat in the pew at church that Wednesday, contemplating her mother’s apparent affair. She couldn’t help but smirk as she watched her father rant about the consequences that sin holds for the entire family, rather than just the individual. If only he knew just how affected his own family was. Adultery was one of the sins Pastor Brown liked to talk about the most.

She wondered how her mother had put up with it for so long. Part of her even felt sorry for her mother, in a different way than she had before. She supposed that was why she was so hesitant to broach the subject, even though she could feel Ira’s gaze boring holes into her back every day during his lunch at the diner. She knew that eventually she would break down and ask.

She couldn’t help but feel justified by the news. It let her separate herself from the man that she hated the most. For years, she had been daydreaming about when she got the chance to run away and never go back. Her mother was what kept her around. Pastor Brown never raised a hand against his precious sons. Avery and her mother were a different story. She had never understood why her sister had been so content in this world to want to marry and stay in it.

That Saturday, Avery found herself alone at home with her mother. Her father was in the church planning for tomorrow’s sermon, and her brothers were at football practice. The house had generally been quieter around the house since Elizabeth had married and moved to the next town over. She willed herself to walk down the stairs before she lost her nerve. Her mother was standing at the sink, peeling potatoes. She stood in the doorway watching her for a while, trying to steady her breathing.

“You may’s well come on in,” she said, without turning. “Ain’t no point in standin’ over there gawkin’.” Avery walked over to stand beside her mother then. She stood watching her in silence for a while before speaking.

“Momma,” she started. “Do you know someone named Anael?”

Her mother’s grip on her knife slipped and it sliced her hand. She dropped the potato and ran the water, cleaning the wound while glaring at her daughter, her face ashen. The cut was pretty superficial, and would only need bandaging. Avery retrieved the first aide kit from the hutch across the room and began to help her mother wrap the injury.

“So?” she said, not looking away from winding the bandage.

“Where did you hear that name?” her mother said, her voice a strained whisper.

“Who is he? I asked first.”

“He is someone I met a long time ago.”

“Oh, you mean around twenty-three years ago?” she spat, glaring at her mother.

“Avery, I – “ she pleaded, looking over her shoulder toward the front door.

“Mom, who was Anael,” begged Avery. “I need to know.”

“I never thought you would find out,” she said. “I never thought that you would ask.” She took a deep breath as tears began to fall from her eyes. Avery softened a little, realizing that this information may be more difficult for her mother to share than she had realized.

“I had just opened the diner,” she started. “This man walked in…he was differ’nt than anyone I’d ever seen afore. Definitely not from ‘ere. Your sis was only nine months old and was finally startin’ to sleep. An’ your daddy was always spendin’ more time at the church than he was at home.”

“So…I’m taking this isn’t a normal customer then?”

“No. He started bein’ a regular, an’ he was nice, an’ there was somethin’ ‘bout him I couldn’t put my finger on. Well, I messed up. I did somethin’ only the lord knows about till now. Your daddy never questioned.”

“Never questioned what?”

“You don’t look like him honey. You aren’t really gonna make me say it, are you?” her mother said, her face wet with tears and red with shame.

“You had an affair,” said Avery. “So where is he now?”

“I…I don’t know. He was around ‘til just after you was born. He saw you once, an’ I told him he had to leave.”

“So, you don’t know where my real father is?” asked Avery, disbelief in her voice.

“I’ve thought I’ve seen him plenty times. But I ain’t never talked to him. I ain’t even sure I seen him.”

“And you never thought I would want to know? That I would need to know?” Avery’s hands began to tremble, and she felt that she couldn’t contain herself any longer. She stood and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. It made a cracking sound, and she turned to see that the door had cracked around the door knob. She didn’t take the time to process it or apologize.

She heard her mother calling after her as she ran from the house, tears blurring her vision. She didn’t know what she expected. She guessed that some part of her had been hoping that she could find Anael, and that he would let her run off with him and away from all of her problems. Instead it just gave her another thing to be angry at. Her lungs were burning, and she stumbled over the rocks and tree limbs scattered over the ground. She wasn’t even sure if she was running away from her problems, or if she was running to something bigger.


	5. Chapter 5

Avery didn’t stop until she came to the clearing around Berry’s pond. She climbed onto the rock she had sat on with the demon, breathing hard from her two-mile run there. She was visibly shaking. She slid down to a seat on the rock and grabbed a small stone at her side, studying it before throwing it into the pond as hard as she could. Tears brimmed in her eyes, threatening to fall.

“Ira!” she screamed, her voice cracking with emotion. “Get your feathered ass over here, damn it.”

“Hey, hey,” he said, smirking behind her. “No need to scream. You made enough noise on your way here for everything in the forest to hear you.” She wheeled and ran at him, shoving him. His eyes darkened and he grabbed her arms, forcing her to sit back down. “Didn’t your daddy ever teach you not to shoot the messenger?”

“You know good and well I’ve never met my father,” she spat. “What do you know about Anael?”  
“Well, we used to be brothers, but that doesn’t mean much.”  
“What the hell does that mean?” she said, glaring at him.

“Could you just calm down?” he asked, reaching a hand toward her. “You are getting pretty unstable.”

“I’ll tell you if I’m unstable,” she said, smacking his hand away. He grabbed his arm, hissing in pain. The shock of his reaction made Avery pause.

“Could you please calm the fuck down before you do something that you’ll regret?” he asked, anger flashing across his face.

“What-what was that?” she asked, stunned.

“You shocked me,” he answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“What do you mean I shocked you?” she asked, still confused.

“Look,” he said, sighing and showing her his arm. A burn was across his arm where she had smacked him away. “You burned me, because you got unstable and you don’t know what you’re doing.”

“I don’t even know what’s going on anymore,” she said, the tears finally falling. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and burying her face. Ira softly touched her shoulder, but she jerked away. “Don’t touch me.”

He let her be, choosing to sit at her feet instead. He let her cry for a minute before whispering her name. She slowly lifted her head to look at him. His eyes were calm, and his face was creased with worry. His hair was messy, as if he had been running his hands through it.

“Listen, we don’t have much time,” he said. “I didn’t think you would take the news about Flying A that bad or I wouldn’t have told you that way.”

“Flying A – you mean Ana—” she started.

“Don’t say his name,” he interrupted.

“Oh, is he like Voldemort?” she scoffed, rolling her eyes.

“More like Beetlejuice,” he responded. “He’s an angel, but listen, that’s a really bad thing for you.”

“But angels are supposed to be guardians and messengers. Wouldn’t him coming here be a good thing?”

“Hell no,” he said. “Angels are protectors of celestial law. Some of them are messengers, but a lot of them are warriors. There’s a reason they have to tell people not to be afraid in the Bible.”

“Okay, so why would I be worried about celestial law?”

“Because you, my dear, are an abomination.” Avery met his words with a blank, but slightly offended, stare.

“Look, your dad is an angel. Your mom is a human. They do the horizontal mambo about nine months before a bouncing black-haired baby you gets born. So, not only are you born from ‘sin’ but you are also a fucking Nephilim.”

“Wait, what?” she said. “But I’m normal. I’m just a human.”

“No you aren’t,” he said. “You’re waking up. You burned me. The only thing that can burn me is grace. You have angel blood. You’re awakening, and that’s gonna attract a hell of a lot of attention from upstairs. Flying A is required to kill you before you come to full strength.”  
“Even if I go with your absurd idea that I’m a Nephilim, why the hell would my father kill me?”

“Because, you’re an abomination, and your existence breaks celestial law. He tried to cover you up, but his secret got out. If he doesn’t kill you, he will be removed from his position and cast into hell. Problem is, he has to do it before you learn how to use your power.”

“Why?” she asked, still disbelieving, but invested in the story Ira was spinning for her.

“Because Nephilim are always more powerful than their fathers. If you are able to fight back against him, you _will_ win the battle against him.”

“So why does this matter to you?” she asked.

“Because – well, I was supposed to kill you before he got the chance,” he said, hesitating to tell her the truth. “But I didn’t.”

“Why were you sent to kill me if he’s supposed to do that?”

“Because, if he can’t complete his mission he will still fall,” he said, sighing. “And if I am able to complete mine, I will have righted celestial law, and will be able to leave hell forever. Killing you would buy my freedom. If I return without killing you, I won’t be seeing the light of day again either.”

“But you haven’t tried to kill me,” she said, the thought of all of the opportunities that he had had chilled her to the bone. She shivered when he stood up and stepped toward her.

“Because I couldn’t after I met you,” he said, extending his hand to her. She took his hand, standing next to him. He didn’t release her hand when she made it to her feet. “I am older than humanity, I was there in the beginning, but never have I ever seen a creature so beautiful as you.”

“I don’t know about that,” she whispered, blushing and unable to meet his dark eyes.

“Then trust me, because I do.” He lifted her chin, and slowly lowered his mouth to hers. This time, she didn’t pull away, but kissed him back. The rest of the world seemed to melt away, leaving just the two of them. Darkness had fallen while Ira had been explaining things to her, and the only light was the moon’s reflection on the pond. Avery finally relaxed, snaking her arms around Ira’s shoulders, and he pulled her closer against his chest.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this is the chapter where most of the violence happens. If you are sensitive to domestic violence, please skip over this chapter, or read at your own risk.
> 
> Thank you to all my readers. I appreciate it!

For a moment, Avery willed herself to forget all that they had been talking about. Ira’s kiss was demanding, and she felt as if he had pulled the very air from her lungs. She could forget everything and stay right here forever, with the moonlight shining down on her and Ira’s arms holding her tight to his chest.

His mouth dropped to her neck, and she arched into his touch. She tentatively let her hands wander from their hold on his shoulders, her fingers grazing down his arms. He smiled at her, dark eyes shining, before nipping her lips. She tangled her fingers in his hair, but froze when she heard the unmistakable click of a shotgun being cocked behind her. Ira let out a low growl, tightening his grip on her.

“Avery Marie Brown get your ass over here.” Pastor Brown stood at the edge of the clearing, his gun aimed toward the pair. Avery shivered as her blood went to ice. Ira tightened his grip on her, but she looked up at him, shaking her head and pulling back.

“When I turn around, run, fly, do whatever you have to do to get the hell out of here,” she whispered.

“Avery, no,” he said, attempting to pull her closer. “I can prote—"

“I mean it,” she said, cutting him off and shoving him away. Before Ira could grab her, she had turned toward her dad.

She did her best to stay in front of his gun as she ran towards him so that he couldn’t shoot Ira. She swallowed the bile rising in her throat. She had seen him this angry before, but it had been a very long time ago. Last time, she had had to tell everyone she had fallen out of the tree to explain her badly broken leg.

When she reached him, he grabbed her arm and twisted, jerking her down to her knees. Ignoring her cry of pain, he looked back up, searching for the man he had seen defiling his daughter. However, Ira was gone. Avery choked back a sob, thanking whatever was listening for keeping him safe. Pastor Brown turned back to her in a rage.

“You slut!” he screamed. “How dare you? What you do comes back on me, you little bitch!”

“Oh, like this don’t say more ‘bout your character?” she retorted, willing herself to ignore the panic that flowed over her in waves.

He smacked her and grabbed her hair, dragging her back towards home. She felt the underbrush tearing at her shorts and cutting into the flesh of her legs. Every time Pastor Brown was forced to slow his pace to step over a fallen log, she scrambled in an attempt to stand up. Once, she did manage to stand, but he jerked her again, causing her to fall across the log. She cried out in pain, gripping her ribs, but he only muttered something about it being her own damn fault. It was the early hours of the morning when they made it back to their house. He threw Avery into the house from the front door.

“Levi, no, please,” begged Avery’s mother, from her seat on the couch.

“You keep your mouth outta it, woman,” he said as he hauled Avery back to her feet by her arm.

“Please, the boys are in bed,” she pleaded. “Don’t pull ‘em into this, Levi, please.” Avery noticed the cut above her mother’s eyebrow, and swallowed hard. If he was angry enough to go after the both of them, either he knew about the affair, or he was angry enough that this wouldn’t be ending until the sun rose and he had to go lead service. She knew better than to struggle.

He pushed her up against the wall, his hand wrapping around her throat. She tried to relax, hoping that he would assume she was near to passing out and drop her. His grip tightened to a bruising force, and she gagged against him. After a few seconds he dropped her, gasping, to the floor.

“Who was he Avery?” he asked, his voice sounding the ringing of a hammer on steel.

“You don’t know him,” she said, between jagged coughs, still trying to regain her breath.

“I know everyone in this town, girl, you may’s well tell me, an’ quick.” He gestured to is belt, slowly beginning to undo the buckle.

“You. Don’t. Know. Him.” He crossed the room and shoved her head into the wall, stunning her. She slid down the wall, her eyes loosely focusing on her mother’s face. Tears ran down her cheeks as she stood in the doorway, ushering her younger brothers back up to their rooms. _That’s fine_ , thought Avery. _Let them know what a monster their father is._ She was snapped out of her thoughts by a sharp kick to her side. She felt and heard the crack of her rib breaking.

“If you ain’t gonna tell me ‘en you’ll tell ‘em all come mornin’,” he promised. He had freed his belt and was swinging the buckle end toward her. She attempted to block the blow, which left a long cut down her forearm. “Now get those bruises covered up ‘fore you leave tomorrow.”

She managed to crawl up the stairs and lay on her bed before breaking down into tears. She couldn’t fucking take this anymore. She hadn’t been angry, even though she felt like she should have been. She had been afraid, less for herself than she was for Ira. She wasn’t sure why she felt like she could possibly protect a demon, but she was sure as hell going to try. She set an alarm so that she could try to get what little sleep she could, but she spent most of the night thinking about how she could protect Ira’s identity. She wouldn’t go down without a fight.


	7. Chapter 7

Avery sat stiffly in her pew next to her mother and brothers. Her sister sat at the other end, next to her husband. She swallowed the bile that threatened to rise in her throat. Her father preached on purity and obedience, and she couldn’t say that she paid attention. She had learned long ago how to keep her face straight and placid while retreating into her mind during services. It was harder today, though, because her mind was frantic.  
Before she knew it, the congregation was singing the final song, her father begging for sinners to come forward and pray for forgiveness. She stood and sang the words as if nothing was wrong. She even gave her brother a sharp tap to the shoulder when she noticed him fidgeting. When the song was over, her father called for a special meeting.  
“There has been sin in the camp, brothers,” he said, stepping out from behind his stand. “We are called to judge the elect of God. Those who claim salvation know that ‘judgement begins at the house of God’. At times it even enters your own household.” Pastor Brown stopped to pull out his hanky and dab at his eyes. Murmurs began to be heard through the crowd.  
“Avery, come and stand before us,” he said. She swallowed hard, but stepped into the aisle and walked up the steps to the platform. “My daughter – my own daughter! – was found in the act of fornication with a man to whom she is not married. She was not even able to tell me who this man was.” A few gasps echoed through the church from the elder ladies. Avery felt the anger boil hotter within her. A kiss was not fornication, but she had known that her father would twist this to make her look worse.  
“She has refused her chance to beg for forgiveness this morning,” he said, shaking his head sadly. “And now I am left with no other options except to surrender her to the hands of the church.”  
The elders spoke quietly among themselves, and one by one they spoke. All of them condemned her, and if anyone disagreed, they sure kept their mouth shut. Avery was seething by the time her father walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.  
“Kneel down and receive your judgment,” he said. When she resisted, he shoved down on the pressure point on her shoulder, not caring when she grimaced in pain as she fell to her knees. She bit her tongue so hard that the metallic taste of her blood filled her mouth.  
“Let her covers never be long enough, so that she can never get a full night’s sleep ‘till her wrongs be righted,” someone said. Avery’s anger soared even higher.  
“Let her suffer in punishment at the hand of a just God for the purification of her soul,” said another. She raised her hand, gripping Pastor Brown’s forearm.  
“Turn her out into the hands of the devil, that she may learn from her sins and repent,” said yet another elder. Avery snapped. All she could see was a white flash as her anger overtook her. She heard screams, and she heard the door fly open, banging against the walls.  
“That can be arranged.” Avery leapt to her feet when she heard that wonderful deep voice. She ran down the center aisle and fell into Ira’s arms. A few of the members had fainted, and were being fanned by other members. Still others were screaming for the police to be called. One voice was missing, though. Avery turned, looking for the man she had called father for twenty-two miserable years.  
Pastor brown lay on the platform, his body twisted at an unnatural angle. Red streaks like lightning crisscrossed his body, smoke rising from him. When her gaze reached his face, she jumped. Where his once clear blue eyes should have been were two gaping black holes, and his mouth was twisted in a silent scream.  
Thunder rolled in the distance as Ira wrapped an arm tightly around Avery’s waist, lightly kissing the top of her head. She looked at him in surprise, but clung to him. His eyes nearly glowed and she could feel raw power coming off him in waves. She blocked out the sound of screams and questions from the congregation, choosing to focus on Ira instead.  
“You have to trust me,” he whispered. “I will buy you some time, but you have to run. Run and don’t look back.” Avery ran past him, out the door, and looked around frantically. Where should she run? Dark clouds were gathering in the west. She turned toward them and ran to the only place she could think of: Barry’s pond.  
The rain stung her face as she ran. When she reached the clearing, she slowed to a jog, panting. She slid down to sit beside the stone where she had met Ira before. For most of her life, it had been just another old rock, but now it was her haven. She tried to steady her breath, still shaking from anger and adrenaline. She looked up when she heard a sound like a tree splitting before it fell.  
“Hello, Avery.” A tall man with black hair and beard, with eyes so pale they appeared nearly white, stood before her. He wore silver armor, and had a sword drawn in his hand. She slowly rose to her feet, attempting to back away while keeping her eyes trained on him.  
“Ira!” she screamed, hoping beyond hope that he would come to her rescue once again.


	8. Chapter 8

The tall man laughed.  
“Belial?” he scoffed. “You’re calling on that worthless traitor?” Massive white wings, edged in gold, unfolded from his back.  
“He’s not worthless, Anael,” she said, while discretely looking around her feet for something to use as a weapon.  
“Look,” he said, as if he were trying to level with her. “I wouldn’t kill you if I didn’t have to. I’ve rather enjoyed the thoughts of being a father, a lesser creator. But I will not go to hell for you. If my father destroyed all of creation with a flood to get rid of his mistakes, what’s a little storm to rid me of one unfortunate secret?”  
“Get away from her, Anael.” Ira stood only a few yards away from them, sword drawn.  
“Oh, because you think that a worthless little messenger like you can defeat an Archangel?” Anael’s laugh echoed through the clearing. “You were expendable from the moment of your creation.”  
Anael ran across the clearing, but Ira blocked his first swing with his own blade, shoving him back. However, he was no warrior and had no armor. His move had taken all of his strength, and he left his flank unprotected. Anael swung his blade down, aiming for the opening.  
Avery screamed Ira’s name in desperation, stretching her hands toward him. Just as the tip of the Archangel’s blade grazed Ira’s side, something like lightning cracked through the air. Anael turned, anger and pain coursing across his face. His attention was no longer on the wounded opponent behind him, but was on his daughter.  
“You,” he growled. “How dare you? Who trained you?” Disbelief was in his voice, but that did little to distract Avery from his wrath.  
“Don’t touch him,” she warned, the tears falling from her eyes mixing with the rain on her cheeks. He lunged at her, and she pressed her hands into his chest as he collided with her. He groaned in pain and threw her against a tree.  
“You little bitch,” he seemed uncoordinated, like the touch from her had caused him damage.  
“The wings, Avery, go for his wings,” yelled Ira, from across the clearing. Avery knew that she had some sort of power over him, but she did not know how to control it. When Anael wheeled around, muttering something about finishing Ira, she sprang into action. She ran at him, throwing herself at his back. She thought of all the pain and anger that she had in her body, and she felt a vibration rise from deep within her. White light erupted from her hands, and Anael cried out in pain. His beautiful wings had ignited. He dropped his sword. Avery dove to the ground, taking the sword in her hands and holding it to Anael’s chest, pushing backward until he fell to the ground.  
“Abomination,” he choked. “I will kill you. I will not go to hell for you!” He struggled, fighting to evade the sharp blade she was holding to his chest.  
“You seem to be missing the fact that I have the advantage,” she said, pushing the blade a little harder, slicing into his chest a bit. Blue smoke began to rise from the wound. Anael’s face was filled with fear.  
“You…you can’t kill an Archangel,” he begged. “If you do you will spend eternity in hell paying the price. God himself will avenge my death!”  
“I’m not afraid of him. If he dooms me to hell so be it, because of you my life was a living hell anyway.” She was breathing hard and caught up in the moment. She barely realized what she was doing when she plunged the sword through Anael’s chest, pinning him to the ground with his own weapon. Her hands shook, and she backed away quickly, tripping over a tangle of sticks behind her and falling. She turned and ran into the woods in the direction that she had last seen Ira. She could hear the shouts of men behind her; surely whatever diversion Ira had caused had been dissolved.  
She saw Ira standing at the top of a hill, his back to her. He turned when he heard her voice. Something had changed in him. His blade was still drawn, and his eyes glowed red. He growled when he caught sight of her. Unafraid, she ran to him, wrapping her arms around his waist before he shoved her away from him.  
“No, Avery,” he pleaded. “Get away from me.”  
“But why?”   
“Because I don’t want to kill you.”  
“Then don’t,” she said, reaching up in an attempt to take his hand.  
“My leader will not relent until I do,” he said. “Please, run, go into hiding, something.” It was clear he was struggling to fight off the influence of his superior. He trembled with the effort, but was seemingly unable to step away from her.  
“I can’t leave you, because I love you,” she yelled, but he heard the words as if they were a whisper. The wind whipped around her, tangling her long, black hair around her face. The rain was being driven into her eyes, partially blinding her. She knelt on the muddy ground; her hands tangled in the coat of a tall, dark eyed man. He was staring down at her, conflicted emotions playing across his face. One moment, she was met with fury, and the next she saw compassion in his eyes.  
“You shouldn’t,” he said. “You really shouldn’t.” Dark wings erupted from his back, ripping the coat she was holding on to. He lifted his face to the sky in a silent scream before pulling his coat from her hands. He turned and ran a few yards, leaving her stumbling after him. Before long he had taken to the skies, soaring higher, higher until he was almost out of sight. She fell to the ground, sobbing.  
If only her father hadn’t gotten the church involved. If only he had never found out about her sneaking out. If only he had not found out what she was. Her world was filled with “if only”.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting this! I got sick over the weekend and have honestly felt like I was dying for the past few days, so I'm really happy for your patience with me posting this final chapter!  
> I honestly can't believe that this is done!  
> A huge thank you to all the people who have taken the time to read this; it is very much appreciated.

Avery ran blindly, still sobbing, until she reached the small overhang where she used to play with her sister when they were children. The place was secluded, with bushes and vines hiding the entrance. She fell to her knees and began to sob. Her fingers dug into the ground as she attempted to hold herself in reality.

“I know I have done nothing to deserve anything good,” she yelled, her voice hoarse. “But if there is a God out there, if there is some being who cares…Please, let me die if it will save Ira. I’ll do anything.”

She glanced up when she heard something rustling in the bushes.

A slender man with mocha skin and red hair stooped at the entrance to her hideaway. He held a small dagger in one hand, but raised the other in a nonthreatening gesture to her. She moved to stand, wiping her tears with the back of a hand.

“Wh-who are you?” she asked, pulling away from the stranger and settling farther into the rocks.

“I am Zadkiel,” he said, his voice soft and kind. “And I have heard your prayer.”

“Are-are you God?”

“No, I am not God,” he said, sitting down across from her. “I am an angel. I am the angel who follows the warriors to battle. I am the angel who stopped the hand of Abraham when he prepared to sacrifice his son.”

“Why are you here?” she asked, her fear subsiding.

“I am an angel of mercy,” he said. “I have watched you for a long time, and have seen your many sufferings. I have seen Belial change in the time since he first met you. He is no longer selfish and arrogant, defiant. He has decided to give up his very life for your safety. You, my dear, prayed to die if only it would save his life.”

Avery swallowed hard and crawled toward the angel’s feet. She bowed her head before him and readied herself for the blow from his dagger. After waiting a few long moments with nothing happening, she took his dagger in her hands and pressed it to her chest.

“Just do it, please,” she said, beginning to cry once again.

“No, no,” he said, taking the blade back from her. “I have no plans to kill either of you. Love is greater than celestial law. I carry the power to override the decisions of other Archangels if I feel that it is justified. You carry a selfless love that is rarely seen among humans.”

“But…I’m not human. I’m – I’m an abomination.”

“What if I told you that I could alleviate your problem?” he said, smiling softly. “I will not lie, there is a level of pain involved, but I can remove Anael’s grace from you, and allow you to continue your life as a human.”

“And Ira? What happens to him?”

“I will restore his soul to him, and take his grace as well,” he answered. “I will make you both humans, so that you can live the rest of your days together.”

“Please, do it,” begged Avery. “Just please, do it quickly. I don’t know how much longer he has.”

“About seventy years, give or take.” Avery looked up to see Ira standing at the entrance to the shelter, his eyes his normal deep brown, and a smile spreading across his face. She stood and ran into his arms. He held her close as she cried into his chest, kissing her head and rubbing her back gently. She felt a third hand touch her back. Zadkiel stood behind her, a smile playing at his lips.

“Do you consent to a life of humanity with this man?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. “I want that more than anything.”  
Zadkiel spoke an incantation over his dagger, and it began to glow with a white light. He made a small cut across her chest, and held a vial to the opening. Orange smoke coiled from the wound into the vial. When she began to feel faint, Ira held her in his arms. When the process was done, Zadkiel closed the wound and smiled.

“Enjoy your lives,” he said. “You have persevered through many hardships. Now it is time for you to live your life with joy.” With that, the angel faded slowly away until he disappeared from view.

Ira’s mouth was against Avery’s in a moment, his hand tangling in her hair. They held one another, afraid that if they separated, they might wake up from the dream. Finally, Ira pulled back.

“Maybe we should settle somewhere a long way from here,” he said, smiling.

“I agree,” she said, kissing him again. “Let’s go anywhere else. Anywhere would be home with you.”


End file.
